04 May 2012

No dates, no slow songs and definitely no prom king: The all-girl high school dance where boys are banned

A Michigan high school has staged an all-girl prom.Hamtramck High School, a school near Detroit with a significant Muslim population, put on the strobe light-filled event last Saturday night.

Organised by Tharima Ahmed, a 17-year-old senior student at the school, the event drew 100 of the co-educational school's 900 students.

As many Muslim students are not allowed to attend prom due to religious beliefs that restrict females from dancing with males, the prom strictly prohibited boys.

It was the first all-female prom staged by Hamtramck High but judging by the evening's success, it is not likely to be its last.

While many of the students who attended were Muslim, the prom, which took seven months to plan, also attracted non-Muslim students.

Past graduates who had never attended their own prom, also attended.

After Miss Ahmed took a survey of the high school's female student she found that 65per cent were not able to attend a co-ed prom due to their religion.

After lengthy discussion between the senior student with the school's staff, an all-female prom was given the green light.

For some of the girls, it was the first time they were allowed to show their hair in front of their classmates at a social event.

Normally hidden underneath a traditional Muslim cloak, several heads of hair had been pronged to perfection for their literal unveiling.

Miss Ahmed, who is a Muslim teenager of Bangladeshi-American descent, told the New York Times that the event has had a significant emotional impact on her.

She said through tears: 'I am just very, very thankful that I took a part in putting this prom together, this was just amazing. It just changed me into a different person and I've become much more independent.'

With the help of her friends, the student had a hall decorated in a 'Once Upon A Time' theme.

'[The prom] just changed me into a different person and I've become much more independent'

Greek columns, pink and white tulle bows and plastic flutes were set up in the space. A light-up fountain was spiked with pink food colouring as music blared in the background.

At one stage, a prayer rug was set up on the dance floor to enable girls to conduct five minutes of prayer. But once that was done, it was back to dancing.

While the prom put enormous smiles on the faces of its guests, support from the school's teaching staff required a bit of a push.

Miss Ahmed said: 'I remember in the beginning of this, my senior year... I basically lost complete hope for this prom and it felt like there was way too much work to be done.'

After organising several well-received fundraisers, including multiple bake sales, she finally got the support she had been hoping for. She raised $2,500 in total.

'We were being recognised, we had teachers asking us if we needed anything, it motivated us even more,' she said. 'It is so important to me, especially when I talk to the younger girls.